You Are The Hero!

Can you tell that I am really loving this new release from Artistic Outpost??  This Paperboy plate really inspires me and I know once you get this lovely rubber set in your hands, you will just have a blast!  Wednesday is my day to share at Artistic Outpost's Blog, so click HERE to see addtional pictures and all the details!  No reason to bore you here! 

This background was so awesome, that even with these gorgeous stamps, I had a hard time covering it up!  I really enjoyed creating it!   My little hero is going to P.O.P. over to visit Inspiration Journal for their monthly challenge.  Pull out your AO stamps and join in the March Referral Program, because someone wins!

Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment!  Enjoy the day!

Stamps:  Artistic Outpost, Paperboy
Kraft Tag
TH Stencil Textured Fade, ATC Die, Ticket Die
Inks:  Distress, Walnut Stain, Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Archival Coffee
Stampin Up Caulks
VersaMark Clear Embossing Ink and Powder
Stampendous, Aged Black, Gold, Silver and Tea Stain Mica Fragments

Exciting News!!

I was so thrilled to receive an invite to join Artistic Outpost as a DT member and of course I said, "Yes."  What a way to start of 2013 with such an amazing stamp company and an incredible design team!  It makes me just a little nervous, but I will give it my all!  Please stop by Artistic Outpost's blog and check out the rest of the newest DT members, say hello and join in January's Referral Program!  This is an anything goes challenge as long as you use Artistic Outpost stamps.

As soon as I received the invite, I knew I would have to make an announcement and of course wanted to create a little something!  So here is what I came up with!  I inked up my tag background with Distress Inks and then did some random stamping using the ledger background stamp from the Ephemera Backgrounds collection using Archival Coffee.  After I was satisfied, I added a little Stampendous Aged Aqua.  Love that bit of gold!  Next I stamped the Prescription, using the Apothecary collection and the sentiment from the Typography was stamped and then cut out and arranged on pop dots to fit my prescription for happiness! 


Thank you so much for stopping by today and your support on this new adventure.  I can't wait to see you play along with the challenges at Artistic Outpost.  Have a wonderful week!

Distress Inks:  Tumbled Glass, Brushed Corduroy, Antique Linen, Walnut Stain
Archival Ink:  Coffee

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The big day is almost here and I hope you are all ready!  I finally finished the last of my shopping yesterday and today I will wrap it all up!  The dinner is made - LASAGNA and ready for the oven!  If all goes well, there will be some extra time for COOKIE making!  Onto my card and the final Christmas card of the year and the last lesson from the "Compendium of Curiosities."  Linda saved the "Glazed Mosaics" on page 60 for the last CC2C and that makes 34 techniques!  A big "thank you" to that loved lady at Studio L-3 for giving so much of her time and inspiration!  You really do rock!

I so love Tim's "Toy Soldier" and knew this guy would be used on a card for my wonderful husband.  Almost any time I use a die that requires an "EYE," that hubby of mine will tell me that I should have used one of the googly/wiggly eyes, so baby, this one is so for you!   The TS was cut from grunge board.  The face, gloves and pants were painted with white acrylic paint, shaded with Walnut Stain.  I added a little color to the face using Tattered Rose.  The hat and jacket were painted using red acrylic and gold touches on hat, jacket, shirt, boots and belt with Tarnished Brass Metallic stain - love those stains!  The background stamp is from Stampendous, inked with Peeled Paint and Festive Berries and I embossed that using Ranger's Black Sparkle, which has a great sparkle effect - trust me!  You might be able to see a little bit!  For the "Glazed Mosaics" which I can tell you about the Tim's technique, I will tell you that I adjusted slightly.  I used a movers and shapers and glittered my foil!  OK, enough said! 

I wish you all a most Merry Christmas and all the best in "2013."  Thank you for being a part of my little world.  I so appreciate each of you!

Snowman Canvas

Happy Saturday and that brings us to my Saturday StepXStep for Frilly and Funkie!  This was a fun project and will go to my daughter, who does not read my blog, so it will be a surprise!  For all the details and pictures, please visit Frilly and Funkie! 

This was really fun and something I will do more of!  Finding time to do new things is not always easy, but I am going to start!  So are you all ready for Christmas?  No, I am not either!

Thank you so much for visiting me today and I would love, love, love your feelings on this canvas.  Have a wonderful weekend!  I am flying to rainy Portland to visit my daughter and grandson for a few days, so I will be catching up to all of you on Wednesday!  Just maybe the Sun will shine while I am there! 

Lighting the Way!

My DT Sister, Rebecca has asked us to use "Light in the Darkness" at Frilly and Funkie.  Even though Linda has temporarily closed down her little boutique, there is still a $25 gift certificate that can be used upon her reopening, so come on over and shed some light!  For more details and illuminated inspiration from the DT, stop on by Frilly and Funkie!

The entire background for my Light House is using Tim's, "Ink Palette: Distress" technique for CC2C #31 as instructed by that lovely lady at Studio L3.   Linda is just amazing and so sweet to devote her time to us each week and she even holds down a real job!  What a gal! 

Do you not love that background stamp???  It is from Stampendous and I have to tell you, it is gorgeous!  Actually it was pretty time consuming to color in each leaf and Poinsettia bract/petal, but worth it.  After I finished with the technique, I antiqued it using Frayed Burlap and Vintage Photo for the distressed paper edges.  The Holly/Berries were colored with Bundled Sage and Worn Lipstick stain and then Stickled with Yellow and Xmas Red.  The grunge paper cut Lamp Post was colored with Black Distress stain, scrapped up with scissors and then inked over with Frayed Burlap and then clear embossed.  I added some highlights using the Bronze Metallic Distress Stain.  My glass is Yellow stickles and Glossy Accents layered between two pieces of waxed paper and then cut to size.  Did a little Yellow Stickles garland.  I also glazed over the poinsettia with a mix of Rock Candy Stickles and water, to just give the red a little extra sheen. 

Hope you are having a wonderful week!  Thank you so much for stopping by!

The Sound of Music!

"Musical" is the theme chosen by Esther for the current challenge at Fashionable Stamping Challenges!  As we are a stamping challenge blog, we need to see some form of stamping on your projects to be eligible for a prize from Cottage Crafts or to make our "Top Three."  My most talented DT Sisters have not missed a beat in their musical performance, so stop by FSC for some sweet tunes and great inspiration!

Before I tell you about my card, I want to give a big SHOUT OUT for my DT Sister, Joanna, who so kindly offered up some help using the Fran-tage products from Stampendous.  Well I don't know how I missed the part about first adding a little clear embossing powder with the mix or on the bottom, but it sure does make the difference!  Thank you, Joanna!  I had just a little of the embossing enamels mixed and after heating from underneath, only a little remained.  As you can see, following directions sure make a difference!  Very cool stuff!  So much fun, I may have over done it with the mix of embossing powders, enamels, micas fragments, glitter, seed beads, etc. 

I have had this musical stamp from Stampin Up for quite some time and have never used it, so what an opportunity this challenge gave me!  The violin was colored with Tim's markers, antique linen and tea die, the flowers, butterflies and bird were colored with Stampin Up markers.  All shading was done with Distress Inks, antique linen and frayed burlap.  The musical print background is a stamp from Stampendous, which I stamped with Black Archival on plain newsprint paper, torn around the edges and shaded.  After I decided how I wanted my background layout, I did the little corner Fran-tage fun stuff.  Had a very hard time looking for an embellishment for the focus panel, but then came across the crystal flower and thought it was just fine!  I so wanted a musical note and I bet if I looked hard enough, I have a die and could have made a shrink plastic note!!  Next time!

Many thanks for visiting me on this lovely Saturday!  Sure hope you can join us at FSC.  Have a wonderful weekend!